1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bracket assemblies, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a rail attachment bracket assembly used to secure a rail to a support structure such that rails of different configurations may be used with the same bracket.
2. Description of Related Art
Railings of various sizes and configurations are used to designate boundaries such as in fences for example, or to protect individuals from dangerous locations. Additionally, railings on stair cases and decks help to steady people and prevent accidental injury. In recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of vinyl and similar products for constructing railings. The vinyl products have numerous advantages over the prior materials. For example, vinyl rails can be shaped in various configurations to provide a desired aesthetic appearance or strength. Vinyl is flexible and less prone to damage than wood and other prior materials. Vinyl is also mark resistant and does not require frequent repainting or staining to protect the fence or railing from the elements. Additionally, the vinyl products are usually cost competitive with the other materials. Because of these advantages, vinyl has become a material of choice for making fences and columns, as well as railings for decks and staircases.
While the vinyl products are highly desirable for such uses, the fact that the vinyl is typically formed into hollow rails or posts raises certain difficulties. Primarily, the lack of any center support makes vinyl rails and posts more difficult to attach to support structures, especially to other pieces of vinyl.
Various different bracket systems are known in the art to attach rails to support structures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,671 (granted Feb. 23, 1999 to West) discloses a rail attachment bracket with a snap-on cover. The attachment bracket has a face plate having an integral support member extending away from the face plate for supporting a hollow rail. The integral support member is sized to accommodate a rail having a particular configuration. Rails having hollow openings that are too small are not able to fit around the support member. Rails having hollow openings that are too large allow movement of the rail with respect to the support member. Thus, a different sized attachment bracket is required for each different configuration of rail that is used.
Rail brackets used in most commercial applications must meet various strength and functional standards such as those established under the Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA), the Standard Building Code (SBC), or the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) for example. Furthermore, since many brackets are designed to attach only to rails of a specific design or shape, for each type of rail and bracket combination, considerable testing must be accomplished to ensure that the products meet the applicable standards. The testing required to meet the standard approval adds to the cost and complexity of producing the brackets. Furthermore, the complexity and cost of producing and storing brackets of various sizes and configurations increases with the number of different brackets that are required. Installation in the field is also more difficult when proper sizing of a bracket is required with a specific rail.
Thus, there is a need for an improved rail attachment bracket wherein the bracket can be used with rails having different configurations so that the bracket is more versatile and the cost of testing to meet applicable standards is reduced. The attachment bracket should also be inexpensive and easy to use. Additionally, the bracket should be concealed to provide a finished look to the railing.
The prior art is thus characterized by several disadvantages that are addressed by the present invention. The present invention minimizes, and in some aspects eliminates, the above-mentioned failures, and other problems, by utilizing the methods and structural features described herein.
The features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.